[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke novel Chapter 334

Chapter 334: A Treaty To Bring King To Ruin

With the pride of a peacock, the royal prince stood up. Dusting the non-existent dirt off his cuffs, he said, "And to meet the divine healer. Or should I say..."

He leaned forward, grinning like a cat who’d caught the scent of blood. "The divine killer, no?"

"How about I give you a reason to call me by a new name as well?" Darius said, turning around.

The still-grinning Nikolai followed after him.

"Like what? A crazy beast? A monster? A madman?"

"A royal killer."

That answer was enough to shut Nikolai up — though he doubted Darius would actually kill him. Not under these circumstances.

But then again, who could trust a lunatic?

"Be serious, Darius. Do you not want to proceed with the plan?"

If he did, then surely he should show a sliver of courtesy to one of the key players in this dangerous game.

"Wrong question, Nikolai," Darius replied curtly as he turned a sharp corner.

The guards posted by the double doors bowed instantly, opening the way into a chamber far smaller than the grand courtroom. Yet, in the eyes of many ministers, this room was infinitely worse.

They called it the Hell Room.

There, one couldn’t hide among the crowd. They would have to face the Archduke directly, close enough to feel the immense coldness of his aura and his final judgment.

The royal prince Nikolai, naturally, had no such fears. Or perhaps he was just as insane as Darius. Danger only seemed to make him smile brighter.

Without any pretense, he slumped into one of the chairs around the round table.

Carelessly crossing his legs, he asked, "What ’wrong question’?" As he tilted his head, silky golden hair fell across his shoulder like liquid sunlight.

The sight irked Darius more than it should have.

Is he trying to copy me by keeping his hair long? Such thought fleeted past his mind.

But he had other things to focus on.

"Do you want to proceed with the plan or not? Do you want to claim your rightful place as the emperor? Or perhaps you want to let Silas’ mother sit there and act like a respected regent after treating your mother like filth? Treated you like filth."

The more Darius spoke, the more Nikolai remained silent. The mocking edge of his smile dulled into something brittle.

After all, her majesty was the reason why her mother died. It was she who would always taunt her for being the princess of the enemy country.

Lucien had loved Nikolai’s mother deeply. But even his affection hadn’t been enough to shield her from the palace vipers.

The queen would often summon Nikolai’s mother to the royal palace and then humiliate her publicly, all of it disguised as a royal courtesy.

To protect little Nikolai, his parents had kept him out of politics. And he, ever the cheerful fool, had played along.

But some things were just never meant to be.

Like this fragile peace between the new king and the other royals.

It took him years to understand the real reason why his father didn’t want him to enter the royal family. Why Lucian Valaria had played the role of perfect uncle to perfection.

Just to keep me safe.

"I do." Nikolai straightened his back. "I want to give them everything they gave me. Including every bit of humiliation."

If not for the old king treating him well, Nikolai wouldn’t have stayed this calm until now.

"Then get one thing in that head of yours, Nikolai." Darius rested his chin on the back of his knuckles. "I’m only helping you because I know you don’t intend to harm my Xion. But one more word like earlier, and—"

It wasn’t even a warning anymore. It was an open, naked threat to the royal prince.

Yet instead of getting angry, Nikolai laughed. A rich, shameless laugh that made Darius scoff.

"Ah, you really know me." The prince was the lover of beauty after all. "How can I hurt such a precious doll?"

"My doll."

"Yes, yes. Yours, possessive brute," Nikolai muttered with a roll of his eyes.

Darius was the first to break the brief silence.

"Silas is not fit to wear the crown. We can’t afford to let him remain there much longer."

Nikolai nodded grimly. Despite all his covert efforts, Silas still held sway over many loyalists. Worse, he was beginning to enjoy his newfound power far too much.

The reports from the capital made that abundantly clear.

Silas, drunk on his newfound power, acted less like a ruler and more like a child playing at kingship. Reckless, really.

Wine, pleasure, and bedding women left and right in pursuit of alliances. He trulywasn’tfit to be the ruler.

"You almost make it sound so... noble, dear Archduke," Nikolai said with a teasing glint. "For a moment, I thought you admired him for forcing Xion back into your cage."

"I gave him a gift for that." There was not a single change in Darius’ face. It was as if he truly had sent Silas a thank-you gift.

Now that he thought of it, watching Silas rage when his hidden arsenal mysteriously vanished had been delightful.

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